This week’s Torah portion is called Korach.
It’s named for a man, Korach, who called into question the authority of Moses and Aaron’s leadership.
The rebellion Korach incited did not end well for him.
Gd made clear in no uncertain terms that Moses and Aaron were indeed the proper leaders.
Gd opened the earth beneath Korach and his assembly and swallowed them alive. The portion begins with the words
“And Korach took” which Rashi, the super commentary, explains to mean that Korach took himself aside.
He split away, he separated.
He removed himself from the community.
This dispute that Korach engendered was not a fight.
Instead it was the lack of understanding of the unique role belonging to each individual.
Korach felt they were all equal and many were capable of fulfilling the leadership roles.
It was not a logical disagreement, Korach forgot that there are roles designed for each person and he set his sights on someone else’s role instead of fulfilling his own.
Throughout the course of the dispute and even after the earth opened up to swallow Korach, there were a number of signs to prove that Moses and Aaron were chosen by Gd to fulfill these specific roles.
It culminated in Gd commanding Moses to instruct the leader of each Tribe to place their staffs in the Tabernacle and the one who is chosen by Gd, his staff will miraculously blossom. This will be the ultimate proof that Aaron was properly chosen to be the High Priest. The next day, it was indeed Aaron’s staff that blossomed.
When this miracle was revealed, Aaron’s rightful leadership was validated and the other leaders of the Tribe took their staffs.
Rabbi Dovid Trenk, one of our beloved teachers whose yahrzeit just passed, always spoke about the blossoming staff.
He asked, why did Gd choose this medium to relay the message?
Rabbi Trenk devoted his life to educating and caring for students who were challenged in many ways.
This portion was one of his mantras.
He said that Gd was teaching us that even a “dead” stick of wood, a severed branch which seems to be lifeless and without potential, actually has the ability to blossom and bear fruit.
Even a child who seems “dried out” and lost, is in fact a wellspring of opportunity, there is so much more than meets the eye. This seemingly dried out stick can actually be the source of greatness.

Rabbi Trenk has many successful students who overcame extreme adversity who validate his theory. They are presently hugely successful in many areas.
It’s just with love attention and direction that even a stick of wood, a mere staff, can blossom.
There is also the detail mentioned at the end of this segment where the Torah takes the time to mention the detail that the leaders retrieved their own staffs, the ones that did not blossom. One might think they should be disposed of, they didn’t bear any fruit after all?
This teaches us a similar idea.
Each staff looked just like the next, it was a lifeless piece of wood. But to the owner it had a unique purpose. They looked alike and seemed to have no purpose, but that is not what they represent. There is still potential and unique purpose.
A friend of mine had a baby this week. He took his three year old to meet his new sibling. As they stood at the nursery glass the toddler pointed at each baby and said over and over “Baby, baby, baby”. And then he said.
“Same, same, same”
Through the glass each baby looked the same but we know each is an infinite world with a unique mission and role to play on this planet despite the similar outer trappings.
This week I attended a funeral and saw something I had never seen before. After the body was lowered into the grave, a large Torah scroll, wrapped in a Talit, was gently placed on top of the casket. The Rabbi explained that this Torah was irreparable and the proper way to deal with it was to bury it.
There was some mystery about the whole story.
Where did the Torah come from, and why was it buried specifically with this person who passed away?
The whole story might have remained a mystery for ever, but “coincidentally” the owner of the Torah was visiting from in Israel and recognized the Torah from its cover. She explained to the family that the deceased had the scroll in his possession because years ago her family had brought it to him for repair, as he was a scribe. Unfortunately, the Torah was damaged beyond repair and he could not fix it. She didn’t know what to do.
The scribe, the man who passed away this week, said to her “leave it with me, I’ll take care of it”.
And so he did.
It was his unique mission to fulfill this particular obligation and the circumstances fell in to place so that his last action on this earth was to take care of that Torah.
These days have been so confusing.
Honestly I thought Mashiach, the Messiah must be coming.
Our brethren in Israel took on Iran, IRAN! and suffered through days of violence and suffering. Our hostages are still not released. We are still losing precious boys in Gaza.
One could despair or be tempted to be relieved.
Not sure.
What is our response?
Korach lost his way, he forgot that he needs to be a part of something bigger.
The unity which was needed to survive and thrive was disposed of by Korach.
That’s what we need to do.
Focus on our job.
Show up when needed.
Support each other in difficult times.
“Take care of it” when we can.
Remember to stay strong and connected to one another.
Maybe then merit the ultimate Redemption speedily in our days.
Chodesh Tov,
Shabbat Shalom and so much love!